I think the WSJ’s piece is indicative of the type of criticism that most digital brands receive. Are you for your users or your own revenue? The answer isn’t simple.
Similarly to other brands that put user experience on their banner (Amazon, Apple), digital brands have to constantly negotiate user experience and revenue. These brands are constantly trying to find the sweet spot where revenue and user experience live in harmony and keep both users and stockholders happy.
There are times when the compromise to revenue is too steep. There are times when the compromise to UX is too steep. Overall, when you examine Google’s progression over time, has the user experience constantly improved? I would say yes. Sure there are hiccups along the way and there will be times when Google will favor revenue over their users (privacy is one example) but overall they are merely trying to consistently find that balance in an ever-shifting market and are not part of a deep net corporate conspiracy.
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About The Author
Eyal Katz is CEO of mvpGrow, a B2B marketing consulting and digital agency.